With a late goal at the Emirates and a debatable 2nd goal for United at Old Trafford one really has to ask how strong the current Premier League is? United have been roundly criticised at every turn this season but remain undefeated in all competitions this season. Arsenal meanwhile have been hailed yet again as a great footballing example but are still level on points with United.
There is no doubt that Chelsea are the strongest and best team in the league this year and should retain their title before the end of the season. What is becoming rather concerning is those in the chasing pack appear to becoming weaker rather than stronger. City lost to Wolves, Spurs just seem incapable of getting a result against any of the top clubs and Liverpool are in a serious decline.
A commonly used parameter is how successful the EPL sides are in Europe; last year none of the English sides progressed past the Quarter Finals (albeit for the first time in a number of seasons). Football usually works in cycles like anything else and having dominated for so long the English game is now riddled with debt, falling attendances and risks losing it's top players to European Leagues. If the likes of Fabregas, Rooney and Torres were to leave for Spain in the summer it could spell the end of the league's dominance.
Interesting article Andy and very pertinent. I think that there is little doubt that the large majority of players woiuld rather play for a Barcelona or Real Madrid than they would a Man Utd or Chelsea. The biggest pull for players coming to the Premier league always has been the money on offer, Real and Barca play better football in bigger stadiums in nice weather and the media don't try and get a photo of your wife's knickers when she's getting out of a car. Yaya Toure is a prime example, he clearly didn't want to leave Barcelona but £250k a week is nigh on impossible to turn down...
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